Tank-car-dome closure



J. J. McBRlDE TANK CAR DOME CLOSURE Filed Sept. 23, 1925 hillll Ill .20in the tank.

Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

J'OHN J'. MCBRIDE, F BAYONNE, NEW..J'ERSEY, ASSIGN'OR TO AMERICAN CARAND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,-.A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

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Application filed September 28,1925. Serial No. 58,113.

Inthe drawings: v Fig. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of a wartank dome showing my improved closure applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of thestructure shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a detail hereinafter referred to.

It is the object of my invention to provide an improved closure for-cartanks'that is adapted to be partially opened "to permit:

escape of gas under pressure from thetank, and to provide means topreventaccidental displacement of said closure while'the tank is beingvented and the-cover is held in an elevated position by pressure of gasin the tank, wit out danger of the-inanholecover being blown from thetankby the pressure This application is a continuation of my co-pendinga plication Serial No. 511, 162, filed Oct. 29t 1921, as to commonsubject matter disclosed and claimed.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, l designatesthe dome head provided with the usual manhole opening surrounded by aflanged ring 2 riveted to the dome head 1. The ring 2 is provided with agroove in which is a packin 3 and has integral therewith a plurality 0sets of lugs 4 and 5. Both sets of lugs 4 and 5 have up-. wardly andinwardly extending portions, the

' lugs 5 being taller than the lugs 4 and provided with openings havingtheir upper sides inclined as at 6. Cooperating with the ring 2 is acover 7 provided with an annular rib 8 adapted to engage the packing 3.Integral with the cover 7 are the outwardly projecting portions or lugs9 and the upwardly projecting lugs 10 provided with slots 1'1, theprojections 9 being adapted to engage with the inwardly projectingportions of the lugs '4 and 5. Y j v Threaded into an opening in thecover 7 isa bolt 12 upon which is threaded a nut13 provided with aplurality of projecting arms '14. To the arms 14, the pins 15 and nuts16 pivotally secure adjustable wedges consistingofwedge blocks17'adapted to travel in the slots 11 of the lugs 10 and having threadedstems 18 upon which are mounted the blocks 19 having bifurcated portionsadapted td receive the arms 14. A check nut 20 on.

the stem 12 limits the movement of the nut 13 in the direction towithdraw the wedges and a T111 nut 21, also threaded on the stem 12,furnis es a means for attaching a chain,-

not shown, for connecting the cover to the tank.

To apply the cover 7 to the rim 2, the'nut 13 is rotated until the arms14 and their wedges assume the positions shown in dot and dash lines inFig. 1, and the cover 7 is turned so that the projections 9 will fallbetween the lugs 4 and 5. The cover 7 is then placed on the ring 2 androtated to bring the pro ections 9 beneath the overhanging portlons ofthe lugs 4 and 5 and the wedges 17 in front of the openings in the lugs5. The nut 13 is then turned so as toabring the arms 14 and the wedges17 into the position shown it engages the check nut 20; The cover 7 isthen rotated until the projections 9 are clear of the lugs 4'and 5whereupon the cover 7 can be lifted from the ring 2. In those cases inwhich the pressure in the tank is sufiicient to raise the cover 7 as thewedge blocks. 17 are withdrawn the ta er of the wedge blocks 17 willallow of the cover 7 being raised to permit the gas under pressure toescape between the. packing 3 and rib.8 while the wedge blocks 17 arestill in engagement withthe lugs 5. If an attempt to withdraw the wedges17 should cause a sudden and complete withdrawal, of said wed cs 17, the

cover 7 willnot, as a result thereo be'blown best shown in thefragmentary view Fig. 3,

will prevent rotation of the cover 7 while it is held in an elevatedposition by pressure of gas from below, thus securing the cover 7 to thering 2 while permitting it to be raised slightly to allow the escape ofthe gas under pressure. After the tank has been Suficiently vented andexcess pressure of gas therein has escaped the weight of the cover 7will cause it to descend by gravity until the flanges 9 on projections 9will fall below the plane of the inturned portions of lugs 4 after whichthe cover maybe partially rotated so that the lugs or projections 9 andthe wedges 17 will clear the inturned flanges of both lugs 4: and 5,whereupon cover 7 may be removed. It is evident that until after suchartial rotation the tank can be vented but t e cover is locked againstrotation and removal and there is no danger of the manhole cover beingblown from the tank by pressure from Within the tank. The slidablelocking wedges 17-19 may comprise a plurality of parts as disclosed orotherwise, as may be desired, though greater accuracy of adjustment ispossible where these parts are formed as illustrated as thereby theengaging ends 17 ma be caused to extend a greater or less istance fromthe center of the cover and consequently secure finer adjustment oflocking engagement with the lugs 5 when given the relatively radialtravel from dotted line position to full line position shown in Figure 1under control of the rockable arms or extensions 14 hereinbeforereferred to.

From a comparison of the full line and dot and dash line positions ofparts in Fig. 1, it will be seen that during the limited rotation orrocking movement permitted the nut 13 by the stop means 20 and the sidesofthe wed a block slots 11, the wedge blocks 17. also have a rockingmovement, as well as a sliding one.

What is claimed is:

1. A tank dome closure comprising a ring, lugs on said ring, a cover,wedges carried by said cover, means adapted to engage the wedges withlugs on said ring and projecttions on said cover adapted to'engage lugson said ring to limit the raising of the cover upon the withdrawal ofthe wedges.

2. A tank dome closure comprising a ring, lugs on said ring, a cover,wedges carried by said cover, means adapted to project said wedges intoengagement with some of said lugs, said Wedges and lugs being adapted topermit a partial raising of said cover, and fixed projections on saidcover adapted to cooperate with other of said lugs to limit the raisingof said cover.

3. A tank dome closure comprising a ring, lugs on said ring, a cover,radially actin wedges carried by said cover, means carried by said coverfor projecting said wedges into engagement with lugs on said ring, anadjustable connection between said means and wedges, an adjustable stopfor said means, and'fixed projections on said cover adapted to cooperatewith lugs on said rin to prevent the cover from blowing off w en saidwedges are withdrawn.

prising means extending from said dome above a part of said cover,interlocking means adapted to prevent rotation of said cover when in anelevated position, and rockable and slidable means adapted to lock saidcover in closed position.

5. In a tank dome closure for tank cars, means for venting a tank whilesaid closure is elevated from and held in locked engagement with saiddome comprising means extending from said dome above a part of saidclosure, interlocking means projecting from said closure for cooperatingwith said means on the dome to prevent vertical removal thereof fromsaid dome, and wedging means for also lockin the closure in closedposition at a lower evel.

6., In a tank dome closure for tank cars, means for venting a tankwhilesaid closure is in engagement with said dome comprising slidablelocking wedges, means for moving said wedges in a relatively radialdirection, locking means carried by said dome ada ted to be engaged bysaid wedges and auxi lary retaining means overlying said closure andadapted to contact with said closure when the latter is liftedvertically from its closed position.

7. In a tankdome closure for tank cars, means for ventin a tank whilesaid closure is interlocked with said dome comprising means extendingfrom said dome above a part of said cover, interlocking means adapted toprevent rotation of said cover when in an elevated position and wed gmeans adapted to lock said cover in a l o er closed position.

8. In a tank dome closure for tank cars, means for venting a tank whilesaid closure is interlocked with said dome comprising means extendingfrom said dome above a, part of said cover and co-operatmg there- 'withto prevent vertical removal of said cover from its closed andinterlocked position, and wedging means for locking it down in tightlclosed position. v

9. I21 a tank dome closure for tank cars, adapted for venting a tankwhile said closure is interlocked with said dome, the combination ofslidable'locking wedges, rockable means for moving said wedges in arelatively radial direction, locking means adapted to be engaged by saidwedges, and auxiliary retaining means overlying said closure when it isin locked position.

10. A tank dome closure comprising a ring, a cover, means rotatablymounted on said cover, wedges slidably mounted on said cover andadjustably connected to said rotatably mounted means, lugs on said rinadapted to pro'ect over said cover, sai

wedges being a apted to engage with such 80 tion of said rotatablymounted means, and

means on .said' cover cooperating with lugs on said ring to limit theraising of said cover upon the complete withdrawal of said Wedges from'engagement with said lugs.

11. A tank dome closure comprising a cover, a dome ring comprising aseat for said cover, slidable locking means to secure said cover to saidseat, and rigid cooperating means on said dome ring and cover adapted tolimit the raising of said cover upon move ment of the locking means tothe release position.

12. K tank dome closure comprising a cover, a seat for said cover,slidable locking means adapted to force said cover to its seat,

and cooperating means on said seat and cover limiting the raising ofsaid cover when said cover. is in position for being looked as aforesaidand said locking means are moved to the release position.

' -13.- A tank dome closure comprising a. ring, a cover, wedginglockingmeanssecuring said cover to said ring adapted to permit a partialraising of. the cover upon a "artial withdrawal of the locking means,'ancoop? erating means on said ring and cover for limiting the raising ofthe cover upon the complete movement of .the'locking means to I therelease position. I g g In witness whereof I have-hereunto set my hand.v JOHN J. MoBRIDE.

